why was john lennon killed

John Lennon was killed by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980. Chapman, a former security guard and Beatles fan, planned the murder for several months. He was angered by several things, including Lennon's lifestyle and a controversial remark Lennon made in 1966 that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus." Chapman also identified with the themes of isolation and loneliness in J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye," which he carried with him when he shot Lennon. Chapman believed it was "God's will" that Lennon die, and he was motivated partly by disillusionment with Lennon's fame and wealth and a desire for notoriety. Chapman fired five shots at Lennon as Lennon was entering his residence, the Dakota building in New York City, hitting him four times. Lennon died shortly after being rushed to the hospital. Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and has been imprisoned since then, denied parole multiple times.